S
suicidalpap
Guest
Class C wards are highly affordable
MR LEONG Sze Hian seemed to disbelieve that C-class patients would know to ask for non- subsidised drugs and implants ('Puzzled by spike in unsubsidised items for C-class patients'; last Wednesday).
There was a time when C-class patients were largely lowly educated and ignorant of treatment options. This has changed over the years.
Many subsidised patients are now well-read and often come with Internet printouts about alternative treatment options. We welcome this development as better informed patients can participate more actively in their treatment, especially where lifestyle changes can make a critical difference to their health outcome.
With more than 42 per cent of all admissions to restructured hospitals opting for Class C wards, many are clearly not from low-income families.
To keep health-care costs low, our policy is to prescribe standard drugs and cost-effective implants for our subsidised patients. However, where the patients have expressed a strong preference for such non-standard items despite knowing that they will have to pay for them, we will meet their requests. They assess that they can afford these non-subsidised drugs and implants as they are covered by both Medisave and MediShield, subject to certain limits.
The reality is that Class C wards are highly affordable. Where is the evidence?
The average Class C hospital bill is about $1,600, equivalent to less than one week of the average household income. Eight out of 10 Class C hospital bills are fully covered by Medisave withdrawal limits. With MediShield, the vast majority of Class C patients do not have to pay anything out of pocket.
Mr Leong cited a $90,000 Class C bill. Such bills are rare and are usually the result of very long stays in the intensive care unit. The rational way to protect against such a catastrophic event is insurance. MediShield offers such coverage at very affordable prices.
Where patients have no or insufficient insurance coverage, we still have Medifund as a last resort.
Our 3Ms (Medisave, Medi- Shield, Medifund) approach to financing health care is the correct answer to rising expectations for high-quality health care.
Patients can do their part by staying within 3Ms and accepting their doctors' prescription of lower-cost alternatives. Most Singaporeans do.
Karen Tan (Ms)
Director, Corporate Communications
Ministry of Health
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Nothing is unaffordable in this sinkieland.
MR LEONG Sze Hian seemed to disbelieve that C-class patients would know to ask for non- subsidised drugs and implants ('Puzzled by spike in unsubsidised items for C-class patients'; last Wednesday).
There was a time when C-class patients were largely lowly educated and ignorant of treatment options. This has changed over the years.
Many subsidised patients are now well-read and often come with Internet printouts about alternative treatment options. We welcome this development as better informed patients can participate more actively in their treatment, especially where lifestyle changes can make a critical difference to their health outcome.
With more than 42 per cent of all admissions to restructured hospitals opting for Class C wards, many are clearly not from low-income families.
To keep health-care costs low, our policy is to prescribe standard drugs and cost-effective implants for our subsidised patients. However, where the patients have expressed a strong preference for such non-standard items despite knowing that they will have to pay for them, we will meet their requests. They assess that they can afford these non-subsidised drugs and implants as they are covered by both Medisave and MediShield, subject to certain limits.
The reality is that Class C wards are highly affordable. Where is the evidence?
The average Class C hospital bill is about $1,600, equivalent to less than one week of the average household income. Eight out of 10 Class C hospital bills are fully covered by Medisave withdrawal limits. With MediShield, the vast majority of Class C patients do not have to pay anything out of pocket.
Mr Leong cited a $90,000 Class C bill. Such bills are rare and are usually the result of very long stays in the intensive care unit. The rational way to protect against such a catastrophic event is insurance. MediShield offers such coverage at very affordable prices.
Where patients have no or insufficient insurance coverage, we still have Medifund as a last resort.
Our 3Ms (Medisave, Medi- Shield, Medifund) approach to financing health care is the correct answer to rising expectations for high-quality health care.
Patients can do their part by staying within 3Ms and accepting their doctors' prescription of lower-cost alternatives. Most Singaporeans do.
Karen Tan (Ms)
Director, Corporate Communications
Ministry of Health
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Nothing is unaffordable in this sinkieland.
